Dirigible balloon.



PATENTED FEB. 2 190s.'

A. esRs 'nsal DIRIGIBLE BALLOON. APPLIOATiIO N FILED APB..30, 1907.

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A. 'GERSTNER:

DIRIGIBLE BALLOON.

APPLICATION FILED APR.30, 190

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No 880,070. PATENTED FEB. 25; 1000 A. GERSTNBR. 01010112103 BALLOON.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30, 1007.

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BATENTED FEB. 25, 1908.

A. GERSTNER.

DIRIGIBLE BALLOON.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30,1907.

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nun-ran snares PATENT ()FFICE.

AUGUST GERSTNER, or New YORK, Y.

DIRIG-IB LE BALLOON.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST GERSTNER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Brooklyn, in the city and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dirigible Balloons,

series of propellers r of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a balloon which can be readily propelled in any direction, the propelling power being so arran ed that the gas c-ontainer and the framewor suspended therefrom are both propelled through the air so as to obviate all torsional strain on the balloon.

A further object is to provide a very simle and effective means for steering the baloon.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents the balloon in end elevation, Fig. 1 is a detail view showing the manner of attaching the netting to the framework for suspending the framework from the gas containers, Fig. 2 is a side view of the balloon one of the gas containers being shown partially in longitudinal central section to more clearly show the tube extending therethrough and the series of propellers located in said tube.. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of onehalf of the framework with the gas containers removed, and Fig. 4 is a to plan .view of the other half of the framework with the gas containers removed.

The gas containers are each denoted by 1. There are two of these gas containers shown herein and they are of oval form so as to present the least resistance to the air when the balloon is in use. An open-ended tube 2 extends lengthwise through each gas container. The small ends of each gas container are clamped between plates 3 and 4 at the ends ofthe tube 2. A framework 5 is suspended from the gas containers by providing nets 6 passing over the upper portions of the con tainers, the said nets being secured to the u per longitudinal beams of the framework. T iis framework may be of any desired shape and material to suit different requirements. A series of propellers 7 are fixed to rotary shafts 8 which extend centrally through the tubes 2, the endsof the said shafts being mounted in suitable hearings in cross beams 9 and 10. A motor 11 of any well known and approved form is carried by the frame work 5, which motor is used to drive the two within the tubes 2 as Specification of Letters Patent. iApplioation filed April 30. 1907. Serial No. 371.166.

follows. sprocket chain 12 passes around Patented Feb. 25, 1908.-

a sprocket wheel 13 on the engine crank shaft 14 and also around a sprocket wheel 15 on a stud shaft 16 mounted on the framework 5 between the gas containers 1. This'stud shaft 16 is provided with a sprocket wheel17'.

A sprocket chain 18* passes around sprocket wheels 19* fixed to the propellershafts 8 and also is engaged by the sprocket Wheel 17 on the stud shaft 16. The steering apparatus which I have pro vided is also used for propelling the balloon and is constructed, arranged and o erated as follows. A plurality of horizonta swinging open-ended steering tubes 18, in the present instance four of these tubes are shown, are mounted to swing on supports 19 uprising from the bottom of the framework 5. Each one of these tubes 18 is provided with a plurality of propellers 20 fixed to a short rotary shaft 21 mounted in a supporting bracket 22 of the steering tube. Each of these shafts 21 is provided with a bevel gear 23 which meshes with a bevel gear 24 fixed to a rotary vertical shaft 25, mounted in the upright 19. Each one of these bevel cars 24 is rotated from the crank shaft 14 o the motor. In the present instance" those two. bevel gears 24 nearest to the motor are driven from a cross shaft 26 having a geared con nection 27, 28, with the motor shaft, the ends of the said shaft 26 having bevel gears- 29 meshing with bevel gears 30 on the shafts 25.

The bevel gears 24 of the two steering tubes" furthest from the motor are driven through longitudinal shafts 31 which have bevel gears 32 meshing with the bevel gears 29, 30, and also with bevel gears 33 meshing with the bevel gears 34 on the shafts 25 of the bevel gears 24 for the said steering tubes farthest from the motor.

A steering wheel 35 is mounted about simultaneously in the same direction to any desired position.

In operation, when'the motor is started it will start the propellers rotating in the steerinlg tubes andhin the gas containers; This w' l'cau'se the airitobe suckedithrough the tubes and thereby draw the balloon-ahead.- The, shiftingiof the weightiof the bccupant ofthe balloonwill causethe balloon to; be

propelled upwandly' 'or downwardly orhori-I 'zontall'y as maybedesired. The shifting sif the-direction ofthe movement of; the balloon may beaccomplished by turningjthe steering wheel to' swing the steeringdevicei' i 'Itw'ill be. seen that aballoo' constructed according to the principles v herein "set i forth will be arranged so that the 1gas-..containers. and the framework are both ,propelled-, thus eliminatin the strain on the balloon incident to pro ellmg the balloo'nby apparatus arrange either in line with the gas'container,

or in line with the framework, as has heretofore been common. It will furthermore be'seen that the rotary movement, of the pro pellers in the steering tubes is not interfered with by the'swi'nging of the steering-tubes into their different positions.

It is evident that various chan es might be resorted to in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limit myself a strictly to the construction herein set forth,

but

7 What I claim is: I v 1. In a dirigible balloon, a plurality of gas containers, a framework suspended therefrom, longitudinal open ended tubes cen trally arranged in the gas containers, a plu fality of propelling devlces forthe containers situated in said tubes, a propelling devicefor the framework and a common motor for all the propelling devices.

2. In a dirigible balloon, a plurality ofgas containers, a framework suspended therefrom, longitudinal open ended tubes .cen-

' tra'lly arranged in the gas containers, a plurality of propelling dev ces for the containers situated in said tubes, a plurality of propelling devices for the frame and a common motor for all the pro elling. devices,

3. In a dirigible ba loon, a plurality of gas containers, a framework suspended therefrom, longitudinal open ended tubes cen-' trally arranged in the gas containers, a plurality of propelling devices for the containers situated in said tubes, a combined propelling and steering device for the frame anda common motor for all the propelling devices.

4. In a dirigible balloon, a plurality of gas containers, a framework suspended therefrom, longitudinal open ended tubes centrally arranged in the gas containers, a plu rality of propelling devices for the containers situated in said tubes, a plurality of combined propelling-and steering devices for the frame and a common motor for allthe propellingidevices.

5. In, a dirigible balloon,.aplurality' of gas contains a framework suspended therefrom, longitudinal open ended tubes centrally arran ed in the gas containers, a plurality of prope ling devices for the containers situated 1n..sa1d tubes, a combined propelling and steering device consistingof a radially swinging tube and a propeller situated therein, said tube being fastened to the frame and'arranged t0 v swing in a plane parallel thereto and a common motor for all of the propelling devices.

' 6. Ina dirigible balloon, aplurality of-gas containers, a framework suspended therefrom, longitudinal open ended tubes centrally-arranged-in the gas containers, a plus rality of propelling devices for the containers situated in said tubes, a plurality ofcombined propelling and steerlng devices, each consisting of a radially swinging-tube and a plurality of propellers situated there-in, said tube being fastened to the frame and arranged to swing in a lane parallel thereto,

and a common motor Ior all of the propelling devices.

7. In a dirigible balloon, a plurality of gas containers, a framework suspended therefrom, longitudinal open ended tubes centrally arranged in the as containers, a plurality of propelling devices for the containers situated in said tubes, a plurality of combined propelling and steering devices consisting of a plurality of radially swin ing tubes, a

rality of propelling devices for the containers situated 'in said tubes, a plurality of combined propelling, and steering devices con- 'sisting of aplurality of radially swingingtubes, a plurality of propellers situated in each of said tubes, said tubes being fastened to the frame and arranged to swing ina lane parallel thereto, and a common motor or. all of the propelling devices.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name, in presence of two Witnesses, this twentyseventh day of April 1907.

AUGUST GERS'TNER.

Witnesses:

F. GEORGE BARRY, HENRY THIEME. 

